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Rare to find a bloke with that combination of speed. Skill and bravery.
Who was the steal of the 2017 draft?
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Rare to find a bloke with that combination of speed. Skill and bravery.
How many of those on offer have a flag & an AA to their name going into 2021.
Steal of the draft because every club overlooked him in the 2016 draft, its Flyin' Ryan.
Steal of the draft because every club overlooked him in the 2016 draft, its Flyin' Ryan.
craffles
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Shut up
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Liam baker is quality
eth-dog
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I wouldn't go that far. He's solid.
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What do you think he should improve on?
Not much of baker but he is super quick. Has great hands and skills. Is brave as they come. Defends to a high standard.
Ie. Was very decent in patches on toby green in a gf
Not much of baker but he is super quick. Has great hands and skills. Is brave as they come. Defends to a high standard.
Ie. Was very decent in patches on toby green in a gf
eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
He can defend well but his kicking is average at best. Solid
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That's a good point. I looked up the stats and baker is more average in that regard than I was expecting. Strange cause on the eye test his skills are exquisite
eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
Kicking efficiency isn't a great measure of skills. The eye test doesn't pass for me.
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I was going to say the opposite lol
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Noah Balta has to be the biggest steal only 21 years old premiership player with the athleticism he possess it's insane how he wasn't a top 10 pick.
He came to a good team but he also had to wait his turn & refine his skills in the VFL he wasn't just gifted games which is what I like he had to earn them.
He came to a good team but he also had to wait his turn & refine his skills in the VFL he wasn't just gifted games which is what I like he had to earn them.
Ryan is great, I saw him do things late last year that I hadn't seen him do before. The game against Collingwood where he influenced all over the ground not just up forward was terrific.
I guess what might hurt him a little is coming in mature age he might not have as much scope for improvement as the guys drafted as 18 year olds. But at the cost the Eagles got a good one, 26 is certainly no bum pick though.
By the time the rest of this crop is Ryan's age now, I reckon the top talents might have a bit more to their games.
Liam Baker is a jet. Every club needs a little nugget like him running and carrying.
Liam Ryan is the best small forward in the AFL (and by some way). He's the best value pick of this draft imo, and Balta not far behind.
Liam Ryan is the best small forward in the AFL (and by some way). He's the best value pick of this draft imo, and Balta not far behind.
Well put.
Regarding Ryans age, he has come to AFL footy from outside the elite pathways, through the Clontarf system in Geraldton. He was overlooked in the 2016 draft after 16 games in the WAFL, initially debuting in the Subi reserves.
His best is in front of him as he builds stamina year on year.
No doubt, his age and player type probably suggests his best footy is from now until 30 so certainly coming into his prime. I guess just because of that later start, the value is a bit less because there'll be less gotten out of him given his age compared to someone that might be impacting at that level by age 21/22.
FRANK STALLONE
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I think by the end of this season Zac Bailey and Brandon Starcevich will be high on this list
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I think Ryan will be so far in front by then that the rest of the list won't matter
His QF last year was just unbelievable stuff
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As opposed to the massive improvement he's already shown in his first 3 seasons? By the time the rest of the crop is Ryan's age now, they'll still be behind him.
imo, he's their second most important player behind Naitanui.
Don't agree with the bolded part, he's a very good player, but at 24 he's got one AA and is kicking under 30 goals a year, and a couple of club top 10 B&Fs.
By 24, there'll be players in the draft with better careers than that to that point. Most of the lower age players are still 21 or under, and the next 3 seasons are about to hit their breakout years.
I'm not saying he hasn't or can't improve, I already highlighted his improvement in an earlier post. It's just that most other players from that draft being a little younger have likely got more footy seasons, more development time and thus a greater scope for improvement in them. Not every single one will out perform by his current age, but some certainly will in my view.
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His 2021 upside is enormous.
SSwans2011
Hall of Famer
I'm obviously biased, but I reckon Tom McCartin deserves consideration. Not the biggest steal of the draft, but could be a gun KPD or KPF which is handy at his stage of development.
Jade
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Elmer_Judd
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Clearly it is now Oscar Allen.
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Dylan Moore at pick 67 starting to really show a bit.
7 goals from 4 games to start the season. That 14 disposal/3 goal quarter in round 1 was pretty special from an 11th gamer.
7 goals from 4 games to start the season. That 14 disposal/3 goal quarter in round 1 was pretty special from an 11th gamer.
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